Methods for polishing multiple dielectric layers to form replacement metal gate structures include a first chemical mechanical polish step to remove overburden and planarize a top layer to leave a planarized thickness over a gate structure. A second chemical mechanical polish step includes removal of the thickness to expose an underlying covered surface of a dielectric of the gate structure with a slurry configured to polish the top layer and the underlying covered surface substantially equally to accomplish a planar topography. A third chemical mechanical polish step is employed to remove the dielectric of the gate structure and expose a gate conductor.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for polishing to form replacement metal gate structures, comprising: a first chemical mechanical polish step to remove overburden and planarize a top layer to leave a planarized thickness over a gate structure; a second chemical mechanical polish step including removal of the planarized thickness to expose an underlying covered surface of a dielectric of the gate structure with a slurry configured to polish the top layer and the underlying covered surface substantially equally to accomplish a planar topography; and a third chemical mechanical polish step to remove the dielectric of the gate structure and expose a gate conductor.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the planarized thickness is between about 300 to about 600 Å.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the top layer includes oxide and the underlying covered surface includes nitride and polysilicon and the second chemical mechanical polish step includes a slurry with a oxide:nitride:polysilicon selectivity of about 1:1:1 to about 2:1:1.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second chemical mechanical polish step includes a slurry having silica abrasives dispersed in aqueous solution from 0.5 to 30 W %.
5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the slurry includes organic acid in a range of 0.01 to 30 g/L.
6. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the slurry includes an acidic pH modulator in a range of 0.01 to 10 g/L.
7. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the slurry includes an alkaline pH modulator in a range of 0 to 15 g/L.
8. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the slurry includes a pH range from 1 to 11.
9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second chemical mechanical polish step includes a slurry having 5 W % of colloidal silica abrasives dispersed in water, 0.5 to 50 g/L of organic acid having two or more carboxylic acid groups, 0.25 to 0.35 g/L of inorganic acid, 0.1 to 1.0 g/L of inorganic base, and a pH in the range of 2-5.
10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second chemical mechanical polish step includes a two part slurry with a composition of: a first part having 0.5 to 30% silica abrasive slurry, 0.5 to 50 g/L organic acid, and 0.01 to 5 g/L acidic pH modulator; and a second part having 0.01 to 5 g/L alkaline pH modulator, and 0.01 to 50 g/L acidic pH modulator.
11. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising supplying a slurry to a polishing table as two components to mix on the polishing table to create a final composition and using the same or different slurry flow rates such that a slurry composition is varied during the polish.
12. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second chemical mechanical polish step includes a two part slurry with a composition of: a first part having 0.5 to 30% silica abrasive slurry, 0.5 to 50 g/L organic acid, and 0.01 to 5 g/L acidic pH modulator; and a second part having 0.5 to 30% silica abrasive slurry, 0.01 to 5 g/L alkaline pH modulator and 0.01 to 50 g/L acidic pH modulator.
13. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising wet etching to ensure the top layer is completely removed from the dielectric of the gate structure.
14. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the third chemical mechanical polish step includes a slurry capable of a higher polishing rate for the dielectric of the gate structure and lower polishing rates for the top layer and the gate conductor.
15. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the third chemical mechanical polish step includes a slurry composition of: 5 to 10 W % of colloidal silica abrasive, 0.1 to 10 g/L of inorganic acid, and a pH in the range of 2 to 6.
16. A method for polishing replacement metal gate structures to planarize oxide layers and expose underlying nitride and polysilicon covered areas, comprising: a first chemical mechanical polish step to remove overburden and planarize oxide layers leaving 300 to 600 Å of oxide remaining; a second chemical mechanical polish step including removal of the oxide layers and exposing underlying nitride and polysilicon covered surfaces with an oxide:nitride:polysilicon selectivity of about 1:1:1 to about 2:1:1 to provide planar topography; a third chemical mechanical polish step to remove the nitride layers and expose the polysilicon layers; and replacing at least a portion of the polysilicon layer with a metal layer to form the metal gate structure.
17. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the second chemical mechanical polish step includes a slurry including silica abrasives dispersed in aqueous solution from 0.5 to 30 W %, organic acid in a range of 0.01 to 30 g/L, an acidic pH modulator in a range of 0.01 to 10 g/L, an alkaline pH modulator in a range of 0 to 15 g/L, and a pH range from 1 to 11.
18. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the second chemical mechanical polish step includes a slurry having 5 W % of colloidal silica abrasives dispersed in water, 0.5 to 50 g/L of organic acid having two or more carboxylic acid groups, 0.25 to 0.35 g/L of inorganic acid, 0.1 to 1.0 g/L of inorganic base, a pH in the range of 2-5.
19. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the second chemical mechanical polish step includes a two part slurry with a composition of: a first part having 0.5 to 30% silica abrasive slurry, 0.5 to 50 g/L organic acid, and 0.01 to 5 g/L acidic pH modulator; and a second part having 0.01 to 5 g/L alkaline pH modulator, and 0.01 to 50 g/L acidic pH modulator.
20. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising supplying a slurry to a polishing table as two components to mix on the polishing table to create a final composition and using the same or different slurry flow rates such that a slurry composition is varied during the polish.
21. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the second chemical mechanical polish step includes a two part slurry with a composition of: a first part having 0.5 to 30% silica abrasive slurry, 0.5 to 50 g/L organic acid, and 0.01 to 5 g/L acidic pH modulator; and a second part having 0.5 to 30% silica abrasive slurry, 0.01 to 5 g/L alkaline pH modulator and 0.01 to 50 g/L acidic pH modulator.
22. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising wet etching to ensure the oxide layer is completely removed from the nitride of a gate structure.
23. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the third chemical mechanical polish step includes a slurry capable of a higher polishing rate for the nitride of a gate structure and lower polishing rates for oxide and polysilicon.
24. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the third chemical mechanical polish step includes a slurry composition of: 5 to 10 W % of colloidal silica abrasive, 0.1 to 10 g/L of inorganic acid, and a pH in the range of 2 to 6.
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January 25, 2011
August 13, 2013
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